Invention

In 1885 a Pennsylvanian oil field produced 77 % of the world's oil supply.

By 1889, J.Maxwell's equations for electro-magnetism and H.R. Hertz's, proof inspired Einstein's theory of relativity.

By 1841, W.Talbot and J. Herschel had fixed photographic images on silver iodide coated paper.

Kodachrome film captured red, green, and blue colours in three layers of emulsion in 1936.

J.M. Spangler developed the first successful portable 'Electric Suction Sweeper' in 1908.

In 1851, I. Singer added a foot treadle drive to his sewing machines and, by 1900, a shirt could be made in one hour.

In 1885, John Starley and William Sutton invented the modern safety bicycle.

S. Morse sent his first telegraph message in 1844 and 32 years later, Alexander Graham Bell made the first long-distance telephone call.

The rotary Strowger switch allowed connections without an operator in 1891. Banks of these later provided 13,200 voice channels on one coaxial cable.

Marconi's spark gap radio of 1896 was crucial during the 1912 Titanic disaster.

WHO THE HELL ARE WE? is a series of short books and videos describing the evolution of civilization.

Almost everyone on the planet is five times wealthier than their ancestors only 50 years ago. This astonishing phenomenon has also improved health, education, and longevity. The cause; an explosive growth in ideas and productivity.

It began when we learned to control fire, evolved articulate speech and stumbled onto the way to create infinite wealth; free trade. The discovery of agriculture made us richer but we also learned how to destroy wealth. Great civilization grew up but then disappeared leaving only incredible ruins and ideas.

Later books detail some of the ideas and developments that increased the average life span from about 40 years to more than 80 and the average world income from less than $3 to more than $33 per person per day (and to $140 per day in some countries).